RSV Gold

Why RSV Gold project?

Many different medical interventions based on different pharmaceutical strategies are currently being developed to reduce RSV-related death during childhood. Our vision is that global data sharing is required to gain insight into the risk factors of RSV-related mortality.

RSV GOLD project is a global mortality registry for children in whom RSV was identified as a pathogen. The RSV GOLD project aims to get insight into the risk factors of RSV-related mortality and ultimately to reduce the global burden of RSV infection. This project is funded by the “Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation”.

Health care providers and researchers from all over the world are encouraged to share cases of children under 5 years of age who have died and were diagnosed with RSV infection. These confidential and anonymous data will be used to understand clinical and socio-economic characteristics of children who die with RSV infection and to determine the worldwide age distribution of these children. The results of this case series study will be instrumental in targeting interventions attempting to reduce RSV-related childhood mortality. In particular, understanding the age distribution of children dying with RSV infection will impact on the development of a future RSV vaccine.

RSV GOLD dashboard

RSV is an important cause of childhood mortality. The RSV mortality dashboard aims to give an overview of the data shared by all collaborators. Documented cases of RSV-confirmed mortality for children less than 5 years of age after 1995 are included. Cases of RSV infection after stem cell or bone marrow transplant are excluded. Data is collected by participation of researchers, research networks, and physicians and is collected anonymously.

Associated research networks: ReSViNET, RSV GEN, PERCH, RESCEU.

Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV)

RSV infection causes a major burden for patients, their parents and society and is associated with an estimated 33,8 million new episodes of acute lower respiratory infections worldwide in 2005. RSV infection is the second most frequent cause of death during infancy; only malaria is associated with higher mortality. The global RSV mortality of children under 5 years of age is 66.000 to 199.000 a year. Up to 700 deaths per day are caused by this particular virus. More than 99% of these deaths occur in lower income countries.

RSV Gold team

The RSV GOLD team supports all activities for the RSV GOLD project. It is composed of clinician investigators and researchers at the Wilhelmina Children's Hospital (University Medical Center Utrecht).

Independent scientific advisory board

The Independent Scientific Advisory Board (ISAB) advises on scientific and practical matters for the GOLD project. ISAB members include clinicians, public health officials and other experts in the field.

Newsletter

Contact

Interested in collaborating with us in RSV GOLD project? Do you have cases you want to share with us? We kindly ask you to share any new mortality cases directly with us via rsvgold@umcutrecht.nl. This way we can keep the RSV Global Mortality Database up to date with cases from around the globe.

Best wishes on behalf of RSV GOLD team,

Natalie Mazur, MD, MSc, Project Manager

Nienke Scheltema, MD, Project Founder

Leyla Kragten-Tabatabaie, PhD, Former Project Leader

Louis Bont, MD, PhD, Principal Investigator

RSV GOLD Collaborators

We collaborate with researchers and health professionals worldwide. Click here to learn more about which institutions we already collaborate with.